Building off last week's email...

I wanted to share my own back pain story. Here goes:

When I hurt my back in 2015, I had two bulging discs and a (Boston accent) wicked case of sciatica.

Hands down, it was one of the most painful injuries I've ever had.

The Physical Therapist I went to said, "I can tell you what's wrong, but you're not going to like it."

Taken aback, I said, "Lay it on me."

She said, "Your core is weak."

In the most calm and confident tone I've ever managed, I replied, "You're an insane person. Look at my abs. Does this look like a weak core?"

After challenging me to a 60-second plank-off with proper form... and beating me, I was officially humbled.

Abs Are Not The Same Thing As "Core"

The first lesson I learned: Abs ≠ Core.

Abs are just one part of your core. There are many others including internal & external obliques, erector spinae, multifidus, hip flexors, and even glutes.

The second lesson: having insanely strong abs but weak everything else throws your body out of balance.

As a result, I couldn't squat or deadlift for 6 months.

Most guys would've been stoked. No legs for 6 months? That's a hall pass most guys would frame and hang on the wall.

Not me. Mentally, it crushed me.

I also had to get really good at basic foundational core stability exercises. The kind of beginner stuff I used to scoff at.

"I'm too advanced for that," I'd say.

I could do Ankles to the Bar and Weighted Lower Ab Crunches, but I couldn't hold a proper plank with good technique for more than 20 seconds.

It was... embarrassing. 🙈

But I made a decision that changed everything: focus on what I CAN do, not what I can't. Turns out, there was still a lot I could do...

Plenty of upper body. Some machine leg work that didn't load my spine.

And most importantly, my Core Strength & Stability PT Protocol.

Here's an image and excerpt from my Amazon best-selling book 7 Secrets For Chiseled Abs.

1. Posterior core (think backside) which is made up of the muscles that run along your spine, lower back, glutes, hamstrings, etc.
2. Anterior core which is made up of the muscles typically thought of as the “core” such as abdominals and obliques.

The Core Strength & Stability Protocol

This is the exact protocol that rebuilt my back.

It was six months of humble pie, served daily. But this wasn't like my grandma's apple pie. Or even American Pie. It was far worse...

(Viral Debate: Is having sex with a pie worse than a fitness model losing a plank-off to a woman half his size and twice his age? 🤔)

Fair warning: none of these exercises are sexy.

Only Squat University posts Bird Dog's to Instagram. But this is the foundation that lets you eventually train abs hard enough to build a six-pack worth posting.

1. Sciatic Nerve Flossing​

If you've got sciatica, start here.

This isn't a strength exercise; it's a mobility drill that gently glides the sciatic nerve through the surrounding tissue to calm it down and restore normal movement.

When my sciatica was at its worst, this was the difference between experiencing a dull, constant aching in my leg or being pain-free.

👉🏻 3 Sets of 15 reps each side

2. Forward Plank​

This is the exercise that exposed, embarrassed, and humbled me.

The plank trains your anterior core to resist extension, which is exactly what protects your spine when you squat, deadlift, or pick up your kid's 55-pound Doona car seat.

Focus on quality over time duration.

A plank should be a very active (not passive) exercise. Squeeze your glutes like you're tucking your tail between your legs.

And act like you're trying to collapse the floor together from your elbows to your feet while maintaining a straight line from head to heels.

A perfect 30 seconds beats a terrible 2 minutes.

👉🏻 3 Sets of 30 seconds working up to 45 and eventually 60 seconds.

3. Standing Pallof Press​

An anti-rotation exercise, meaning your job is to NOT move while the cable tries to twist you.

This trains your obliques and deep stabilizers to resist rotational force, which is how your core actually functions in real life.

It protects your spine while outside forces try to pull you out of position.

👉🏻 2 Sets of 12-15 reps each side

4. Floor Bodyweight Glute Bridges​

Surprise: your glutes are part of your core.

And if you sit at a desk all day, yours are probably asleep on the job.

Weak glutes force your lower back to pick up the slack, and your lower back is terrible at that job.

Glute bridges wake them up and teach them to do their share, taking pressure off your spine in the process.

👉🏻 3 Sets of 15-25 reps with 3-5 second holds at the top of each rep

5. The McGill Big 3​
​Quick version | Full breakdown​

Dr. Stuart McGill is one of the world's leading spine biomechanics researchers.

These three exercises (the curl-up, side plank, and bird dog) are his prescription for building spinal endurance without beating up your discs.

This is the same system that helped powerlifter Brian Carroll come back from a broken back to squat over 1,300 pounds.

If it can handle that, it can most certainly fix your back.

👉🏻 3 Sets of 10 second holds for each exercise

But Jackson, I Just Want Abs...

Here's the full-circle part.

You might be reading this thinking, "Jackson, I want six-pack abs or a beach-ready body, not physical therapy homework."

I get it. But remember the lesson that humbled me: Abs ≠ Core.

Crunches, reverse crunches, and weighted ab work (the stuff that actually builds a six-pack that pops) put real stress on your spine.

If your core can't handle that stress, you don't get abs. You get a back injury and 6 months on the sidelines. Ask me how I know.

The kids would say, f-around and find out. 😂

Build the foundation first.

Strong core → pain-free back → the ability to train your abs hard, heavy, and consistently.

That's the order.

There are no shortcuts, and I have the PT bills to prove it. Your future six-pack (and your spine) will thank you.

👥 Client of the Week — Barry, 52, Cybersecurity Professional

Five years ago, Barry was over 250 pounds when a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis stopped him cold.

His words: "How did I do this to myself?"

When he joined the 16-week program he said this to me, "I want to see my six-pack before I die."

Mission accomplished:

• 🔥 Lost 27 lbs & 6% body fat in 16 weeks
• 📏 Dropped 3.5 inches off his waist
• 💪 First six-pack of his life... at 52

How we did it:

• Pre-logging meals the night before (he calls it Tetris)
• Custom program built AROUND a shoulder injury
• Identity shift: "I am a fit person. It's part of my DNA."

Notice that middle one. Barry got injured mid-program and didn't quit or push through the pain. We adjusted, protected the shoulder, and kept building everywhere else. Sound familiar?

The kicker: a guy at work recently asked Barry if he was on gear.

(He's not. And yes, he took it as a compliment.)

Want to be our next Barry?

If you own a Tonal and your body doesn't match the work you're putting in, this page was written for you.